How SAT Scores Are Calculated: Complete Guide for Students and Parents

Understanding how your SAT scores are calculated is a key part of your test prep and college admissions journey. Whether you’re aiming for Ivy League schools or local universities, knowing how the SAT is scored can help you set realistic goals, make smart study decisions, and improve your performance on test day.

In this blog, we’ll explain everything you need to know about SAT scoring—from raw scores to scaled scores, section breakdowns, percentiles, and tips to make the most of your score.

Why It’s Important to Understand SAT Scoring

Before diving into prep strategies, it’s essential to understand how the SAT is scored. Knowing how the test is graded helps you:

  • Set accurate target scores
  • Focus your prep on high-value questions
  • Strategize retakes with Score Choice or super scoring
  • Interpret your performance realistically

Now let’s break down the SAT scoring process step by step.

SAT Overview: Scoring Breakdown

The SAT is divided into two main sections:

  1. Reading and Writing
  2. Math

Each section is scored on a scale of 200 to 800, making the total score range from 400 to 1600.

There are also subscores and cross-test scores that provide deeper insight into your performance in specific areas like grammar, data analysis, and algebra.

Step 1: Raw Scores

Your raw score is the number of questions you answer correctly in each section. That’s it—there’s no penalty for wrong answers or skipped questions.

  • For example, if you answered 48 questions correctly in the Math section out of 58 total questions, your raw score is 48.
  • The same goes for the Reading and Writing section—your raw score is based solely on how many questions you got right.

Step 2: Scaled Scores

Raw scores are then converted to scaled scores through a process called equating. This ensures fairness across different test versions.

  • A raw score of 48 in Math on one test date might translate to a 750, while the same raw score on another version might become a 730.
  • This conversion accounts for slight variations in difficulty between different test forms.

Key point: Your scaled score is what colleges see.

Step 3: Total Score Calculation

Your total SAT score is calculated by adding your Math and Reading & Writing section scores:

  • Example:
    • Reading & Writing: 710
    • Math: 770
    • Total Score: 1480

This combined score is what colleges use as part of your admissions evaluation.

Subscores and Cross-Test Scores

In addition to your main scores, the SAT provides subscores in the following categories:

  • Command of Evidence
  • Words in Context
  • Expression of Ideas
  • Standard English Conventions
  • Heart of Algebra
  • Problem Solving and Data Analysis
  • Passport to Advanced Math

Each subscore ranges from 1 to 15, and they help you pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses more precisely.

There are also cross-test scores:

  • Analysis in History/Social Studies
  • Analysis in Science

These scores range from 10 to 40 and draw from questions across multiple sections.

Essay Scoring (No Longer Offered)

As of 2021, the SAT Essay section has been discontinued (except in a few school-day settings). Previously, it was scored separately and did not factor into your composite score.

Digital SAT Score Calculation

With the rollout of the digital SAT, the scoring system remains fundamentally the same:

  • Still scored out of 1600
  • Same section breakdown: 800 Math + 800 Reading & Writing
  • Adaptive testing (for digital format): Questions get easier or harder based on your performance—but the score scaling still ensures fairness

Understanding Percentile Rankings

Your SAT score report includes percentiles, which show how your score compares to other test takers.

  • 90th percentile: You scored higher than 90% of students.
  • Percentiles are updated annually to reflect the most recent test-taker data.

This gives colleges context for your score—especially useful for test-optional schools where strong scores can still enhance your application.

What Is a Good SAT Score?

While “good” can vary based on your college goals:

  • 1400–1600: Excellent (Top 5–10%)
  • 1200–1390: Strong, above average
  • 1000–1190: Average
  • Below 1000: Room for improvement

Check each college’s middle 50% score range to determine the score you should aim for.

Can You Improve Your Score?

Absolutely. Since SAT scoring is formulaic and transparent, students can improve by:

  • Reviewing their score report breakdown
  • Focusing on subscore categories with lower performance
  • Practicing regularly with official College Board practice tests
  • Taking advantage of super scoring (some colleges combine your best section scores across multiple test dates)

Score Choice and Superscoring

  • Score Choice: You can choose which SAT test dates to send to colleges.
  • Superscoring: Some colleges will combine your highest section scores from different test dates.

Understanding how scores are calculated helps you make strategic decisions about test retakes and score submissions.

Final Tips to Maximize Your SAT Score

  • Focus on answering as many questions correctly as possible—there’s no penalty for guessing.
  • Always review incorrect answers to learn why you missed them.
  • Use practice tests to simulate the real experience.
  • Track your raw scores and monitor how they would convert to scaled scores using official scoring guides.

Understanding SAT Scoring Gives You an Edge

Knowing how SAT scores are calculated puts the power in your hands. By understanding the difference between raw, scaled, and total scores—and how subscores can guide your study—you’re already a step ahead of most test-takers.

Use this knowledge to shape your test prep strategy, plan your retake (if necessary), and present your best self to college admissions teams.